Power He Knows Not
by Spidey-phd
Summary: There were many factors which contributed to the Potters' baby surviving the Killing Curse. A near miscarriage during Lily's pregnancy prompted friends and acquaintances to provide extraordinary assistance with miraculous results. [Warnings: Due to my current WIPs the developing baby will be referred to as female (fem!Harry) and James will be the son of Charlus and Dorea Potter]
1. Decision

The life of the Potter baby was always a miraculous thing.

The mother, Lily Evans nee Potter, was the recipient of a malicious and dark curse while pregnant. For a time it seemed a miscarriage would be inevitable.

Her healer suggested terminating the pregnancy as continuing not only risked Lily's life but there was little chance of successfully carrying the child to term. The healer warned that, in the unlikely event that the child survived the pregnancy and birth, the resulting offspring would likely be physically and magically malformed.

The Potters held each other tightly that night and wept.

The next morning, red-eyed and clutching a cup of tea which had long ago lost its heat, Lily stated quietly, "I don't think I could bear... to not even try. To just give up. I want to try to save our baby."

James had became more serious and somber over the course of the war, had seen friends and classmates hurt and mourning and dead, had lost his own parents, and was exposed to the horrors of the current conflict on a daily basis in his roles both as an Auror and as a member of the Order of the Phoenix. Lily fell in love with her husband yet again as he forced himself to grin and teased, "Lily-flower, are you thinking of ignoring that sad old hag's advise? Of pushing boundaries? Perhaps even... performing a little mischief?"

Lily rolled her eyes and smiled. "Why was I so foolish as to marry a Marauder?"

James smirked and wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Lily snorted in amusement. "Arrogant prat."

"Probably. " he admitted as he pulled her close. "But after fighting so long to be able to have my wicked wicked way with you I am never going to let you go."

"I love you." She sighed into his chest as she wrapped her arms around him. His right ribs were still a little tender from a curse the previous week but he'd nearly recovered.

"If anyone can do this it's us." James said more seriously. "Madam Selwyn has a good reputation but there are other Healers. We can get a second opinion from someone else. Maybe go to a Muggle doctor to see if they have any solutions on their side."

Lily nodded. "Andromeda had a difficult pregnancy after getting attacked but her daughter came out fine. Sirius said that there has been some speculation by the Healers that the potions and rituals Nymphadora was exposed to during development might even be what caused her metamorphmagus abilities to activate."

"And made her half werewolf." James noted dryly.

Lily giggled. "She is not half werewolf."

"She bit me!" James protested.

"After you stole her cookie." Lily looked up at him through her lashes. "Is Andromeda's cooking really so much better than mine?"

"You are amazing." he laughed, pressing a kiss against her temple. "I wish the interrogators we have at the Auror office were half as devious and cunning as my lovely wife."

She leaned against his broad chest, soaking in the warmth of being in his arms."So you really think we can do this?" she quietly asked.

"We will do this." James answered into her hair. "Our baby is going to be as gorgeous and brilliant as you and as stubborn and hardheaded as me. She is going to the star of the Quidditch team, the bravest Gryffindor you've ever seen, and when any boys manage to sneak past the Marauders she's going to punch their teeth out and announce she's not allowed to date until she's 30."

Lily laughed and lightly slapped his arm. "You are going to be a terrible father. She is going to have so many horrible stories about how you embarrassed her."

"And you can help plan and photograph all of them." He promised. Pressed up against him as she was the deep sound vibrated deep within her chest and relaxed knots of stress she had been struggling with for days.

James' wristwatch chimed twice.

Lily frowned but stepped back. "You need to leave for work."

He hesitated. "I can stay home and take a sick day if you need me to."

"No." Lily managed to smile. "My hormones are about as stable as a snitch these days. If you stayed home every day I felt like crying you'd never be allowed to leave the house."

"If you are suggesting we play catch-the-snitch..." he purred suggestively as he leaned closer.

Lily had always blushed easily. She could feel the heat sweeping up her cheeks and the back of her neck in response to her prat of a husband and he smirked in victory.

"Curry." she answered him.

"Huh-What?" he blinked in confusion.

"Please pick up some food on your way home tonight. I've had some terrible cravings for that Indian chicken curry you got me last month." she requested sweetly. "And blueberries. And some mint chocolate chip ice cream for dessert."

"I can do that." he agreed easily. "I'll restock on saltine crackers and ginger tea while I'm at the store, as well."

"Thank you." she said.

She gave him a hug and a kiss goodbye before he exited through the floo.

She warmed up a fresh pot of tea and prepared a little platter of crackers, cheese, thinly-sliced sandwich meats, mustard and pickles. Then she moved everything into the study.

She set out parchment and quill for the many letters she anticipated writing that morning. She selected all of the books she thought would be the most useful.

Then Lily Potter nee Evans, the brightest witch of her generation, went to work to save her baby.


	2. It takes a village

"What does Pandora want to do?" James repeated dubiously.

Lily smiled at his obvious hesitation regarding anything the woman proposed. "She wants to brand runes onto the interior of my uterus."

James frowned. "I'm not sure what I should ask first. Why? How? Won't that hurt like bloody hell? Won't it hurt the baby?"

"Pandora might be a little odd but she has always been very creative and intuitive in modifying and creating spells." Lily said.

James sighed. "Which she usually intends to use see mythical invisible creatures or to peep into parallel dimensions."

"Like the spells she used to create Mad Eye's prosthetic eye," Lily observed pointedly. "An incredible creation which I understand Moody still has to guard from the Unspeakables trying to study it."

James smirked. "Because Pandora blew up her laboratory for the 17th time and all her records on the spells she used to create it were destroyed. And she is too bored to return to an old project."

"Pandora is an eccentric genius." Lily shrugged. "'With a little patience and obscene quantities of pudding I think she could revolutionize any field she applied herself to."

"We are getting off track." James noted wryly. "What does all of this have to do with engraving runes inside your womb?"

Lily explained a little of the theory's back history. "So you remember how Thalia was forced to drop out of school and marry that arrogant bastard Greengrass? Thalia's grandfather was passionate in his study of magical reptiles. He was extremely successful with some of his expeditions and experiments. Newt Scamander even apprenticed under him for a year. Despite Thalia's grandfather's academic success he was a horrible financial failure, wasted the family fortune unbelievably fast."

Lily paced angrily back and forth while she spoke. "His sons tried to be innovative to save the family. They used their father's research and fame to create a sort of farm for magical reptiles. They became one of a largest local suppliers of Runespoor and Ashwinder eggs, Boomslang skin, and the various types of magical Salamanders in Britain. Over forty percent of the potioneers in Britain were buying their product but they were still barely getting by. They were great producers but poor businessmen. And every time they would fix one issue two more would pop up to take its place-misplaced deliveries, irregularities in business contracts, orders canceled at the last minute, contaminated feed. They were hemorrhaging gold in every direction. The family started to wonder if they were cursed. "

James eyed her cautiously. "You think it was corporate sabotage?"

Lily bared her teeth. "Based on comments the drunken bastard has made to Thalia while beating her I'm sure of it. We all are. But there is no proof. And bloody Lord Greengrass has the money and connections to get away with just about anything."

James raked his fingers through his hair. "I thought he'd backed off."

"Because of the pregnancy." Lily answered. "He doesn't admit that he caused her to miscarry last time but he is being more careful this time. But he still slapped her when he found out it was going to be a girl. Demanded that she provide him a proper heir next time. "

"What do the other girls say?" James asked.

"Pandora went out and bought us all black cloaks and masks." Lily snorted. "She promised to learn how to cast the Dark Mark in her basement so that whenever Thalia finally agrees we could make it look like the bastard died in a Death Eater attack."

James grinned ruefully. "I should probably have you oblivate me after we finish this conversation."

"Alice is teaching us the basics of crime scene investigation so that we won't leave any incriminating evidence and so that we will know what kind of evidence would work best to plant a false trail." Lily smiled fiercely. "I recommended one of Malfoy's monogrammed handkerchiefs so that the Aurors would finally to be forced to search that horrible place."

James snorted. "I'm not sure that a handkerchief would be enough but I appreciate the intent." He took another sip from his glass. "I still don't understand what Thalia has to do with our baby?"

"Sorry," Lily said. "I know I tend to rant about her situation a lot. So the bastard tricked Thalia's family into signing a contract. They thought they'd be business partners. Greengrass would assist with transportation and contracts with buyers, even help them extend the business to the continent. Meanwhile they would be able to focus on production. Three years later Greengrass claimed breach of contract, seized ownership of the production facilities, forced Thalia's family to continue to run the production facilities for him as basically indentured servants, then made Thalia quit school and marry him to keep her family out of Azkaban. It is a two-fold hostage situation: Her family has to work hard to keep the bastard from hurting her. Thalia has to act submissive and obedient to keep the bastard from sending her family to Azkaban."

James raised his glasses to rub the bridge of his nose. "And, again, I will raise a glass to celebrate when Greengrass dies. I'll raise several. I might even join in on tripping the bastard down the stairs when Thalia finally gives the okay. But what does all of this have to do with our baby?"

Lily sighed. "Greengrass wanted to marry Thalia for several reasons."

"Boobs, arse, and gold?" James offered.

Lily scowled.

James held up in hands in surrender. "Sorry, I'm tired and kind of freaking out about the possibility of carving up your womb."

Lily hesitated before continuing. "Promise you won't tell anyone else what I am about to tell you."

"Okay." James sat up a little straighter, eyeing her in bemusement. "That sounds ominous."

"Not all Slytherins are evil." Lily stated. "Like your cousin, Andromeda."

James leapt to conclusions based on the couple's reoccurring argument. The Auror burst to his feet. "Snape is a Death Eater! There is evidence that he has participated in at least three attacks and in that damn revel up in Keswick last month. The Death Eaters have a new potioneer who is providing them with some of the most horrific potions imaginable."

"Just last week Archie Kenwick tried to report he was being blackmailed. They'd given his wife some kind of liquid form of Cruciatus Curse. There was a second potion which would provide relief from the symptoms for seven days. As long as Archie did everything he was demanded they said they'd give him the relief potion. But he tried to report it, a spy in the office warned the blackmailer, and so they stopped sending the relief potion. It was one of the most horrific things I've ever witnessed in my life."

Lily was holding her hand over her mouth in horror. "Last Thursday. When you came home so upset but you said you weren't allowed to talk about it."

James raked his hand through his hair and nodded. "Yeah. I know you and Snape were friends for a long time. But he was stuck down in that snake pit for years. Sirius tried to fight against his parents but you've seen the scars. Sirius HAD to run away to survive or give in. Snape didn't run away. He was always kind of enthralled with the Dark Arts. After what you told me what it was like for him growing up I think he needed to get some power to feel safe. He is with some very dangerous people right now. "

James held up a finger to ask for her to hear him out a little longer. "Snape still has feelings for you. I think he was probably the one who helped you to escape back in October. But I know he still hates me. I know he wants me dead. He told me that to my face the last time I saw him. I don't know if he thinks I'm blackmailing you or manipulating you or dosing you with love potions but he never believed you would be with me willingly. He still thinks he could get together with you if I was out of the picture. I don't trust him. I wouldn't allow you to be alone in a room with him. I will certainly never trust him with our child."

"I wasn't going to say anything about Severus at all." Lily interjected.

James blinked. "Then I feel a bit foolish about jumping to conclusions. Who then? Slughorn?"

Lily sighed, decided to ignore the issue of Severus for the moment. "Thalia."

"Thalia isn't a real Slytherin." James scuffed.

"She is, actually." Lily said quietly. "She's an actual descendant."

James sat down abruptly. "Thalia? How?"

"You know that there are several old pure-blood families which claim to be descended from Salazar Slytherin." Lily said.

"Very diluted, yeah." James agreed. "Most of the old families can. I can, apparently."

"Aside from being bigoted supremacist backstabbers, the family used to be famous for two traits." Lily prompted.

"They were gifted in the Mental Arts, such as Legilimency and Occlumency, and were Parselmouths." James recited like a schoolboy in a lesson.

"At least one line of Salazar's descendants retained their ability to speak Parseltongue through extreme inbreeding." Lily explained. "One daughter of the family ran away to America. Isolt Steward and her husband founded Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Her descendants are no longer true Parselmouths, they are no longer able to truly speak Parseltongue and to command snakes to obey them, but they can understand snakes and some other reptiles."

James blinked in understanding. "That does explain Thalia's family's success in caring for and handling magical reptiles."

"Exactly." Lily said. "And it's part of the reason Greengrass manipulated events so that Thalia would have to marry him. She's young, attractive, intelligent, and a descendant of Salazar Slytherin with at least partial Parselmouth abilities. He actually believes that the purity of his own blood will be enough to make their children full Parselmouths." Lily scoffed derisively.

"Anyway," Lily continued, "Historically Parselmagic was associated with warding and healing not magical Nazism. Thalia's family aren't full Parselmouths but they did develop a revolutionary new runic system they used for protecting and accelerating the growth of reptile eggs. Part of the reason Greengrass wanted to enslave Thalia's family was to get access to their runic system for his transportation and supply company to keep his products fresh, protected, and even enhance growth. Pandora had the idea to have Thalia etch the runes into the shells of a carton of chicken eggs. Pandora then spent the next couple of weeks boiling, freezing, and attempting to smash each egg with various heavy metal objects. She even exposed them to some mild Dark curses. After the chicks finished developing we removed the runes and all of the eggs hatched. All of the chicks were fully developed, healthy and seem perfectly normal so far."

James sat up. "That sounds promising."

"It gets better." Lily assured him. "Then we started experimenting with toad and frog tadpoles. Metamorphosis which occurs in a bowl engraved with the runes and which contains the right mixture of potions allows for some amazing healing including complete regeneration of severed limbs and non-essential portions of the central nervous system."

"So what comes next?" James asked.

"Mice and rates." Lily said.

"Not you." James sighed in relief.

"No." Lily bit her lip and looked down. "We are still a long way from that."

"Sweetheart?" James asked quietly.

"It's just... I know we are making incredible progress. If the situation was different I would be so proud at how fast things are progressing. Everyone has been so kind and supportive... I am just terrified that we are going to be too late. I don't mean to be selfish but I'm not doing this for the next baby but for ours right now. And I get stuck in these horrible cycles of thinking we need to do something as soon as possible but I can't think like that because then it will stress the baby even further. Then I think that I'm always stressed and unable to control my emotions so I'm already killing our baby."

James pulled his crying wife into his arms and held her tightly. "Sweetheart, I don't know of anyone who could handle this situation better than you have. We are in the middle of a shadow war but you've managed to assemble an international team that is effectively addressing a problem that most medical professions had resigned themselves to being insurmountable."

He hesitated, picking his words carefully. "Do you remember when we jumped back to World War II?"

Lily snorted. "That little tumble down the rabbit hole would be hard to forget."

"I think I just unlocked a charmed memory." James said.

"What?" Lily's confused gaze suddenly became grew wide in astonishment. "By Morganna's sagging pruney baps! She obliviated us!"

James shrugged, "I think it was more like a modified Fidelius charm."

After a moments concentration Lily repeated, "She left something for us in a vault in Gringotts?"


End file.
